Creo Elements/Direct Modeling allows you to import SolidWorks parts (files that carry the .sldprt or .SLDPRT extension) and SolidWorks assemblies (files that carry the .sldam or .SLDASM extension).
• Each SolidWorks part has a separate binary file. Transformation to an assembly and other attributes are applied after the part is imported in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling.
By default, SolidWorks is added to Modules on startup.
3. Click Options and choose Quilts, Wireframe, Blend Recognition, or Merge spline surfaces in the Read SolidWorks dialog box.
◦ Click Quilts to import SolidWorks quilts. Quilts are used to represent models that are not SolidWorks solids; for example, face parts or collections of faces. All imported quilts for each part or assembly are grouped in a Quilts container (under that part or assembly) in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling.
◦ Click Wireframe to import SolidWorks datum curves. Datum curves are single curve parts (wire curves). All imported datum curves for each part or assembly are grouped in a Wire container (under that part or assembly) in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling.
◦ By default, Blend Recognition is selected. Creo Elements/Direct Modeling automatically detects and recognizes blends so that they can be modified.
◦ Click Merge spline surfaces to merge multiple spline surfaces into one surface.
If you clear Merge spline surfaces, Creo Elements/Direct Modeling imports all spline surfaces independently without merging them.
4. Browse to the SolidWorks file.
5. Select a file or type the name of the file in Filename.
6. Click Load.
Example: An assembly imported from SolidWorks
The following example shows a toaster assembly, which has been imported from SolidWorks.
Parent-child relationships and instance-content relationships (see bagel in the Structure Browser) are maintained during import.
Limitations
• You cannot import SolidWorks wire parts.
• You cannot import sheet parts and solid parts that have been created in versions before SolidWorks 2003.
• Information such as entity count, face color, feature color, and part (body) color is not imported from a SolidWorks part to Creo Elements/Direct Modeling.
• Even if you import SolidWorks assembly successfully, some objects may not be imported due to the following reasons:
◦ In SolidWorks, an inactive configuration of a part is inserted in the assembly and the part is not saved while saving the assembly.
◦ In SolidWorks, after the assembly is created, a configuration other than the one which is referred to in the assembly is modified and the part is saved without updating the configuration which is referred to in the assembly.
